MP Ilham reports to police amidst search

MP Ilham immediately after he was freed on February 2, 2018. MIHAARU PHOTO / HUSSEN WAHEED

Dhangethi MP Ilham Ahmed reported to the police early Monday, three days after Police launched a search.

In a tweet by the official account of Maldives Police Service, they confirmed that Ilham came to the headquarters at 11:37 on Monday morning.

The police had issued a notice on Friday, searching for MP Ilham and Abdulla Sinan who is the MP of Machangolhi South constituency. MP Sinan had turned himself in hours after the announcement.

Both the MPs were summoned in relation to a case being investigated by the police’s economic crime department. They have been accused of planning a coup against the government and giving and accepting bribes.

MP Ilham’s wife Aminath Maasha was brought in for questioning on both Sunday and Monday. It was not clear what she was questioned about. Moreover, Ilham’s brother Adam Zaalif, who had accompanied Maasha, was asked to hand over his mobile phone. A family member said that the police did not show any warrant and they had declined to give back the phone.

Both Sinan and Ilham had been living abroad for sometime when the police released a statement, summoning them. The MPs had been arrested upon arrival in capital Male only to be released the next day by the Criminal Court.